Maternal serum Numb in the first trimester of pregnancy as a biomarker for early prediction of pre-eclampsia: A prospective cohort study

Objective

Early identification of women at risk of developing pre-eclampsia is beneficial as it allows for timely intervention strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of serum Numb in the first trimester as a biomarker for early prediction of pre-eclampsia.

Methods

This prospective observational cohort study was carried out at a tertiary teaching hospital between January 2021 and December 2022. A total of 1024 women were recruited during their 8–13 weeks of pregnancy and were followed up until delivery. Serum Numb levels were measured during 8–13 weeks of gestation for all participants. At the same time, the participants' anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory data were collected. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the potential association between serum Numb levels and the risk of pre-eclampsia. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) and area under the curves (AUCs) were utilized to evaluate the predictive efficacy of serum Numb levels for pre-eclampsia in the first trimester.

Results

Serum Numb levels were found to be significantly higher in pregnant women who developed pre-eclampsia compared to those who did not develop pre-eclampsia. Increased serum Numb levels were identified as an independent risk factor for pre-eclampsia, with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.27 (95% CI: 2.05–4.53) for the risk of pre-eclampsia. Numb levels showed a significant positive correlation with the risk of pre-eclampsia. Furthermore, Numb levels demonstrated a strong predictive efficacy for pre-eclampsia in the first trimester of pregnancy, with an AUC value of 0.86, a cutoff value of 48.73 ng/mL, a sensitivity of 79.24%, and a specificity of 75.73%.

Conclusion

Serum Numb in the first trimester of pregnancy can serve as a biomarker for the early prediction of pre-eclampsia. This provides a valuable approach in clinical practice to identify pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy, who are at a higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia.